Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice

August 1885

August 4, 1885
Local News/Events
--Prof. E. D. Westbrook, of the Mansfield Business College, has been seriously ill.

--Mr. Albert Brown, of Middlebury, has had his pension increased from $5 to $10 a month.

--We are glad to learn that Mrs. James L. White, of this borough, is recovering from her recent illness.

--Mr. Manly Crane, of Osceola, has received $80 of arrears of pension and a monthly stipend of $24.

--Mr. Fred K. Walters, formerly of this borough, is studying phonetic shorthand writing in Philadelphia.

--Mr. Wallace Codney, of Blossburg, has been quite ill in the county jail in this borough. He is now convalescent.

--Mr. Newton H. Mack, of this borough, has been making some photographs of General Grant from a negative taken in 1880.

--Mr. John Pearson, of Delmar, was prostrated by paralysis last Thursday. We are glad to learn that his condition is now some what improved.

--Mr. Stephen Welch, of Mansfield, had the misfortune to cut off his left index finger a few evenings ago while splitting kindling wood.

--Mr. George M. Spalding, of this village, had a narrow escape yesterday. He was preparing to clean his shot gun, and as he picked up the weapon it was by some means discharged and the end of Mr. Spalding's left index finger was shot off.

--A few days ago a dwelling house owned by Mr. Asa Bullock, of Mardin, and occupied by his son-in-law Mr. George Coveney, caught fire from the chimney and was burned, with most of its contents. The loss was about $500, and there was an insurance of $300.

--Last evening the Wellsboro Baseball Club was organized with the following officers: J. B. Potter, President; I. M. Bodine, Vice-President; George C. Bowen, Secretary; F. K. Wright, Treasurer; Gen. H. Derby, Captain; H. S. Hastings, Harry Baxter and W. C. Kress, Directors.

--Mrs. Sarah Williams, of Potter Brook, aged 70 years, was out in the woods a few days ago, and she saw beside a log what she took to be a strange plant, her eyesight being somewhat defective. Mrs. Williams picked up a small stick and went to poke the plant from under the log when she found she had stirred up a four foot rattlesnake. She killed the reptile.

--The Advertiser says that Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Mitchell, of Mill Creek, met with a serious accident a few days ago. When near the grist mill on Crooked Creek, their horses became frightened at a man dragging a dead rattlesnake, and backed off a steep embankment. Mrs. Mitchell was thrown out, and her arm and wrist were broken. Mr. Mitchell escaped serious injury.

--Last Wednesday Mr. Charles Stubbs, of Niles Valley, was out huckleberry picking on the mountains in Middlebury. His horse was hitched to a tree, and the buggy stood near by. While Mr. Stubbs was off in the woods a large dead stub fell and struck the buggy, smashing the wheel. It would have killed the horse, but the animal broke loose and got out of the way.

--Miss Emma Parks and Mrs. Burton, of Mansfield, were lost on the huckleberry mountains near Niles Valley last Tuesday, and it was far into the night before they found their way to a farm house. In the meantime the greatest anxiety was felt by their friends, who searched the woods for the missing ones in vain, and it was not until the next morning that they learned of their safety.

--Messrs. Frank Cornelius, John Dealy, of Elkland, and C. L. Peck, Esq., of Coudersport, were riding down a hill near Elkland, one day last week, when one of the front wheels broke down, letting the wagon fall against the horses heels. Mr. Cornelius sprained his knee and received a kick from the horse as he clambered out of the wagon. Mr. Dealy also suffered from a sprained ankle. Mr. Peck was not hurt.

--Last Saturday some of the huckleberry pickers on the mountains near Niles Valley started a fire to boil their coffee, and then very carelessly went off and left it. The weather being very dry, the fire communicated to the dead leaves and underbrush, and about thirty cords of bark and a lot of logs belonging to O. B. Lowell & Co. were destroyed. More care should be used when there is occasion to build fires in the woods.

--Last Sunday evening Mr. W. D. Reese, of Charleston, was driving on Marsh Creek with his three year old son asleep in his lap. One of the horses stumbled, and the sudden jolt of the wagon threw the child between the spokes of the front wheel and the little fellow was badly bruised before the vehicle could be stopped. The lad was picked up and taken to the house of Mr. Robert Richardson, and it was found that his leg was broken and he was otherwise seriously injured, but it was thought he would finally recover.

--Last Friday afternoon about 4 o'clock the dwelling house of Mr. John W. Smith on the Pine Creek road, was consumed by fire. It is supposed that the disaster was caused by a defective chimney. Most of the furniture on the lower floor was saved. There was an insurance of $700 on the house and $300 on the furniture. About 8 o'clock the same evening Mr. Smith's barn, which stood a few rods from the house, also burst into flames and was entirely destroyed, together with a quantity of hay, a hay press, mowing machine, lumber wagon, buggy, a land-roller, a fanning mill, a pig and a lot of small farming tools. There was an insurance of $100 on the barn and the contents and $400 on the hay-press. It is thought that a spark from the burning house set fire to the barn.

Visiting/Moving
--Mr. and Mrs. M. F. Elliott have been visiting in Towanda.

--Hon. James H. Shaw, of Canton, was in town several days last week.

--Mr. and Mrs. B. B. Holiday and son, of Elmira, were in town last week.

--Miss Stella Calking, of East Avon, N. Y., is visiting at Mr. E. B. Young's.

--Mr. S. Unger, of this borough, is to attend the funeral of General Grant.

--Mr. Joseph S. Hoard, of Mansfield, made us a pleasant call this morning.

--Mrs. M. B. Seely and daughter, of Nelson, have been visiting at Sheriff Baxter's.

--Mr. and Mrs. J. Dunn, of Bath, N. Y., are visiting at Thomas Allen's, in this borough.

--Mrs. H. H. Potter, of Middlebury, is visiting her son, Mr. Jerome B. Potter, in this borough.

--Mr. Fred Ward, of this borough, has gone to Hammondsport, N. Y., for a month's visit.

--Mrs. H. M. Foote and her three daughters, of this borough, are spending a couple of weeks on Pine Creek.

--Mrs. Matherson and her son, of Akron, Ohio, are visiting at Mr. George C. Bowen's, on Central Avenue.

--Mr. Daniel O. Preston, of Chicago, Illinois, is visiting his aunt, Mrs. George C. Bowen, in this borough.

--Mr. Fred Williams and his sister Maud, of Binghamton, N. Y., have been visiting at Judge Williams's.

--Mrs. N. J. Bennett, of this borough, is to start this morning for a two weeks' visit at her old home in Canada.

--Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. Raesly returned home last Tuesday after a protracted visit in the southern part of the state.

--Mrs. A. Sauter, nee Emma Thompson, of Hughesville, Pa., is visiting her father, Dr. Charles. K. Thompson, of this borough.

--Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Mathers and their son, of this borough, started yesterday for a few weeks' sojourn at Minneapolis, Minn.

--Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Taylor and family, of Philadelphia, are visiting at Mr. J. H. Buckley's, Middle Ridge, Delmar.

--Hon. Henry Sherwood and wife and Mr. and Mrs. Walter Sherwood, of this borough, were visiting in Towanda last week.

--Mrs. E. A. Bellis and Louis H. Allen, of Portland, Northumberland County, are visiting at Prof. H. E. Raesly's, in this borough.

--Miss Lida Watkins, of North Carolina, and Mrs. C. G. Webb, of Towanda, have been visiting their father, Mr. A. Watkins, in this borough.

--Mrs. Eugene S. Bowen and her son, of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, are visiting her father Mr. George Herrington, at Ansonia.

--Mr. and Mrs. M. M. Converse and Miss M. B. Robinson, of this borough, expect to start today for a pleasure trip to the White Mountains and through Canada.

--Gen. Robert C. Cox, Mrs. Cox and Master Homer Cox, of this borough, left yesterday for a ten days' trip among the Thousand Islands and other points of interest.

--Our old friend and former townsman, Mordecai M. Sears made us a pleasant call a few days ago. Mr. Sears is now landlord of a hotel in Tonawanda, N. Y., between Buffalo and Niagara Falls. We are glad to learn that he is prospering in the world.

--MANSFIELD-Messrs. E. A. Rundell and G. P. Murdough, of Corning, were in town last Thursday.

--MANSFIELD-Mr. William Scarf, of this borough, started for London, England, last Tuesday morning. He had been in this country only about four months. He came over with the family of George Scarf, Sr., and getting homesick, started for his home across the ocean.

--BROOKFIELD-Mrs. Daniel Draper, of Sabinsville, is in town staying with her daughter.

--EAST POINT-Mr. W. M. Thomas has just returned from a pleasant trip t Lock Haven.

--EAST POINT-Mr. Ellsworth Bickel, of Larry's Creek, is the guest of his brother, J. M. Bickel.

Land/Business/Farming/Housing Transactions
--Mr. Harry Ellis, of Mansfield, has just erected one of the Haliday Standard windmills at the Normal School buildings.

--Mr. J. M. Decker, of Westfield, lost a valuable colt a few days ago from an injury received from a snag in the pasture.

--Burt M. Potter, of this borough, is now canvassing Blossburg, Arnot, Morris Run, and Sullivan townships for the sale of Gen. Grant's book.

--Mr. C. A. Sweet, photographer of this borough, has recently been engaged in making some fine stereoscopic pictures of the scenery along Pine Creek and in the vicinity of this borough.

--It is stated the Mr. J. S. Bush has given two acres of land at Bush's Park, Tioga, to Messrs. E. M. Baldwin and John Maynard in consideration that a good hotel be erected upon the ground.

--Mr. Sheridan E. Coles, for several years a workman at the Advertiser office at Mansfield, had been admitted to a partnership in the establishment. The firm name is now VanKeuren & Coles. We offer our right hand.

--Mr. Elias Tipple, of East Charleston, has just completed a fine dwelling house upon his place. Messrs. Herman, Borden & Co., contractors, completed the wood work in fourteen days, with a large force of workmen.

--Messrs. Johnson & VanDusen have moved into their new marble shop and warerooms on Crafton Street in this borough. Their establishment is the most complete in this region, and we are glad to note that the enterprising proprietors have built up a large trade.

--Last Saturday afternoon about one hundred and fifty thousand feet of hemlock logs on Mr. L. C. Bennett's timber tract in Chatham Township were destroyed by fire. It seems that Mr. Gregory Reynolds was burning his fallow, which adjoins Mr. Bennett's lands, and the fire rapidly spread through the dry under-brush.

--Mr. John Daly has retired from the firm of Coleman & Daly, of the hotel at Hoytville, and Mr. Stephen Hyland, of Antrim, has formed a partnership with Mr. Patrick Coleman under the name of Coleman & Hyland. Both gentlemen have much experience in the hotel business and it is safe to say that the Hoytville House will gain a reputation second to none.

--MANSFIELD-Several men are at work digging the foundation for Frank Kohler's new block, on Wellsboro Street.

--MANSFIELD-J. L. Cummings & Co. has purchased a new delivery wagon, with which they will deliver all kinds of bread and cakes to neighboring villages, and around town.

--BROOKFIELD-Mr. W. L. Plank is prepared to do reaping for himself and some for his neighbors having lately purchased a new reaper.

--EAST POINT-Mr. Abram Marquardt has sold his house and blacksmith shop to David Schanbacker for $800. Mr. Charles Wilson, of Liberty, is to take charge of the shop for Mr. Schanbacker.

--EAST POINT-Mr. Christian Cleckler's new house is nearly completed. T. J. Ridge is the builder.

--EAST POINT-Mr. J. J. Schanbacker is a successful farmer. He has the best oats, buckwheat and potatoes in this section.

Deaths
--We regret to learn of the death of Mr. Seely Satterly, of East Charleston, last evening. His disease was typhoid fever.

--Mrs. Robert Casbeer died a few days ago at Osceola, after a lingering illness. Mr. Casbeer has the sympathy of many friends in this borough. [Buried Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Farmington Township. Listed as Mrs. Robert Casbeer]

--The body of Miss Lizzie Tubbs, who has been in foreign lands as a missionary, was brought to Osceola, her former home, last Tuesday for interment. [Buried Osceola/Fairview Cemetery page one]

--Last Tuesday morning, a lad named William Vetootski, sixteen years of age, was almost instantly killed at Hoyt Brothers' tannery at Blossburg. The Register says that the boy loosed the brake on a bark car which had been partly unloaded, for the purpose of moving it on the grade so that the pieces could be picked up. He stood on the ground in front of the car and let off the brake, and it is supposed he walked backward, intending to tighten the brake for the purpose of stopping it when it had been moved far enough, not noticing his proximity to the car behind him, when he was caught between the bumpers of the two. His injury seemed to be about the breast, about where the bumpers would reach him. When found he was lying outside the track. Whether he had sufficient strength to crawl there after being jammed, or whether the springing apart of the cars threw him there is not known, as no one saw the accident. He was not dead when found, and was immediately removed to his home in one of the tannery houses, where he died in a few minutes and before a physician arrived. He was a steady, sober boy and was esteemed by all who knew him.

August 11, 1885
Local News/Events
--Mr. David B. Lain, of Daggett's Mills, is recovering from a serious illness.

--Mr. D. S. Horton, of Rutland, is announced as a Democratic candidate for Jury Commissioner.

--Mr. Letson Lownsberry, an engineer on the Tioga railroad, ran over a large rattlesnake with his locomotive at Big Hill, a few days ago.

--Last Tuesday lightning struck the barn of Mr. Thomas Pride, on the Jemison, in Westfield, and it was entirely destroyed by fire with its contents.
Additional story-same edition-Up to the beginning of this week it had been very dry here for a long time. Pastures were scorched, corn rolled up and the meadows were so dry that the rake followed the mover and the wagon the rake, and in two or three hours after it was cut the hay would be in the barn fully cured. But a storm came on Sunday night, and rain continued to fall most of the time up to Monday evening, when it abated. Tuesday afternoon rain began to fall again accompanied by hail.
About three o'clock that afternoon a bolt of lightning struck Mr. Thomas Pride's barn in Westfield Township, and set in on fire. Mr. Pride had left home that morning for Wellsboro, but his son, some workmen and some neighbors-six persons in all-were in another barn two hundred feet from the one struck. The barn was an old fashioned one, 30 feet by 40, with a lean-to across on end for stabling cows. The building contained the wheat from three or four acres, and the remaining space was nearly filled with hay. Two minutes after the flash the men in the neighboring barn had not realized what had taken place, but on smelling the smoke looked out and found the barn all in flames. The fire was then beyond control, and the property was entirely consumed, although about fifty people were on the ground within a short time. The loss was about $500, and there was no insurance.
Mr. John Cook and his little daughter and Harry Batcheller were passing along the road with a load of lumber, and were about seventy five feet from the barn at the time it was struck. They were fixing the blankets to protect the little girl from the storm just at the time, Mr. Cook standing on the load and Mr. Batcheller on the ground, with the child between them. Both the men and one horse were knocked down on their knees, while the child and the other horse escaped shock. At last accounts the men still complained of severe pains, mostly in the head and neck.

--Mr. William Lowrey, of Tioga, was lodged in jail last Tuesday on a commitment charging him of assault and battery upon Myron Padgett, of that borough.

--Mr. E. Dimmick, of Deerfield, feels some pride in a hen which laid an egg that now lies on our table. It (the egg, not the hen) is eight inches in circumference and weighs 3 and a half ounces.

--Mr. William Brooks, of Blossburg, has been declared a professional bicyclist by the League of American Wheelman. The rules of the League do not permit its members to ride the bicycle in races for money prizes.

--Mr. Wellen Corwin, of Millerton, was lodged in jail on Sunday on a commitment issued by Justice L. C. Retan, charging him with mayhem. It seems that during a brawl at Millerton, Corwin bit off the finger of William Buchanan.

--The Mansfield Advertiser says that during the storm of last Tuesday the lightning struck the blade of a cradle carried by Charles Cole, on the Updyke farm, near Mansfield, while he was going to the barn to wait until the storm was over. Mr. Cole was knocked down, but not seriously hurt.

--Last week Sunday Frank Dodge, a brakeman on a freight train on the narrow gauge railroad, was leaning out from the car, near Westfield, when he head came in contact with a post, and he was knocked off into the ditch. He was picked up in an insensible condition, and it was found that his skull was fractured. It is thought he will recover.

--Last Tuesday a very handsome monument was set up on Mr. Robert Campbell's lot in the cemetery in this borough. It is what is known as a cap monument, and is a very credible piece of work and an ornament to the grounds. It is made of a fine piece of dark blue Vermont marble. It was furnished by the Mansfield Marble works, for which Mr. W. H. Milo is agent. [Joyce-Not sure which Robert Campbell this is talking about. There are a few Robert Campbell's buried in the Wellsboro Cemetery, Wellsboro.]

--Last Tuesday, Mr. August Bernard, an attaché of Mrs. Shafer's brewery in this borough, put some Paris Green into his mouth with alleged suicidal intent or for the purpose of “making his point” in a family difficulty by frightening the woman. He was taken to jail, an emetic was administered, and he still lives-with a sore mouth, however. He has been held to bail to keep the peace.

--Last Thursday evening as Messrs. Thomas Cowden and Eugene Berry and Misses Mary Shealy and Nellie Fowler, of this borough, were riding in Middlebury, their carriage was upset near the depot and the occupants were thrown out. Miss Shealy's arm was broken in two places above the elbow, and Miss Fowler was seriously bruised. The others escaped serious injury. The accident was occasioned by attempting to turn around in the darkness and running upon an embankment.

Visiting/Moving
--Miss Addie Whitaker, of Elkland is visiting at Danville, N. Y.

--Mr. William M. Woodside, the renowned bicyclist, is to make Blossburg his home.

--Mrs. Leroy S. Coles, of Chenango Forks, N. Y., is stopping at the Coles Hotel in this borough.

--Messrs. J. H. Buckbee and E. G. Kelts, of Knoxville, were in New York during the Grant obsequies.

--Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Bennett, of Covington, attended the funeral of General Grant in New York, last Saturday.

--Miss Anna Buckbee, Superintendent of the schools in Potter county, has been visiting her parents at Lawrenceville.

--Mrs. Susan R. Hart, Postmistress of this borough, returned home last week from a month's visit at Sharon, Vermont. We regret to learn that her sister, Mrs. Jennie Gibson, is still very ill.

--Mr. E. T. Bentley, of Satsuma, Florida, formerly of this county, has been visiting in this borough for a few days. Mr. Bentley has an orange grove of 2,000 trees on the St. John River, and we are glad to learn that he is prospering in the home of his adoption. He speaks in glowing terms of Florida, its climate and its resources.

--MANSFIELD-Frank Updyke, who has been in the West for some time, returned last night.

--MANSFIELD-A. S. Lent, of Wellsboro, is in town, taking a course in bookkeeping at the college.

--TIOGA-Rev. Mr. Bacon preached his farewell sermon last Sunday in the Presbyterian Church. His successor has not been found yet.

--TIOGA-Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Williams have returned home from Boston.

--OSCEOLA-Mrs. John Cairns and her daughter Annie, who will be remembered here by their many friends, are visiting in this place.

Land/Business/Farming/Housing Transactions
--Mr. Robert R. Jones, of Blossburg, has patented a carpet-stretcher.

--A new floor has been laid in F. P. Hart's dry goods store in this borough.

--Mr. A. B. House, of Elkland has invented a combination hat and clothes rack.

--Mr. W. V. Bailey is finishing a fine dwelling house upon his place in Charleston.

--Mr. Lafayette Brown, of Hammond, has a pond which he proposes to stock with German carp.

--Mr. George W. Potter, of Middlebury, has one of the finest pieces of tobacco in this section, comprising six acres. It will be cut this week.

--It is stated that Mr. G. G. Dorrance, of Elkland, threshed 390 bushels of wheat from nine acres of land. He has also raised this year 500 bushels of barley from ten acres.

--Mr. Isaac Decker, of this borough, has exchanged his house and lot on Pearl Street for Mr. Jackson's house and lot at Crooked Creek. Mr. Decker moved to his new place last Wednesday, and Mr. Jackson has taken possession of the Decker premises.

--Mr. Samuel J. Wilson, formerly a well-known resident of this borough, now living in Binghamton, N. Y., has patented a folding umbrella. The ribs are formed in sections, the smaller outer one sliding into a larger one, and the stick has a hinge at or near its middle, so that the umbrella can be folded to about half the usual length.

--A violent hail storm passed over this region last Tuesday afternoon, cutting a swath through some of the finest tobacco fields in the county. On Mr. O. B. Lowell's farm in Tioga Township was an eighteen acre field of tobacco about ready to cut. Fifteen acres of it were destroyed, Mr. Jason Prutsman lost five acres, Fred Hughes lost six acres, Charles F. Miller lost seven acres, L. Z. Milla lost seven acres, County Commissioner William Kimball six acres, Mr. W. F. Rhodes, on the DePui farm, lost several acres. The storm seemed to be fitful in its effect. One grower informs us that the damage to the crop in Tioga Township is estimated at $10,000.

--MANSFIELD-H. F. Kingsley now occupies his nice new store on the west side of Main Street.

--MANSFIELD-It is rumored that B. R. Bailey & Co. have purchased the store now occupied by Dr. A. J. Cole and will move their stock of groceries into it soon.

--MANSFIELD-Vine R. Pratt is preparing to build a house on his farm near this place.

--MANSFIELD-J. B. and C. A. Clark are building a barn in the rear of their store.

Deaths
--Mrs. Charles Toles, of this borough, died at Grand Forks, Dakota, on Saturday, the 1st instant. She was born in the Cowanesque Valley, in 1823. Her maiden name was Mary A. King. About 43 years ago she was married to Mr. Toles. They lived upon the farm where Mrs. Toles was born until 1871, when they moved to this borough. About two months ago Mrs. Toles went to Dakota to visit her daughter, Mrs. Barker, taking her granddaughter, Miss Bessie Barker, with her. Bessie was soon taken seriously ill, and Mrs. Toles' untiring watchfulness and constant care during what proved to be the fatal sickness of her granddaughter and the shock caused by her death, brought on severe nervous prostration, together with an attack of heart disease, which soon terminated her life. The news of her death was received here with profound sorrow. From early youth Mrs. Toles had been an active Christian-cheerful in disposition, gentle in manner, unobtrusive in her deeds of charity and faithful in her devotion to the sick and afflicted. Her daily life was that of an earnest and devout Christian. She leaves a devoted husband and three daughters to mourn her loss. Her remains were buried temporarily at Grand Forks, and in the fall, together with those of her granddaughter, they will be brought her for final interment. [Both are buried Wellsboro Cemetery, Wellsboro]

--Dr. Thad B. UpDeGraff, the famous oculist and aurist, died at his surgical institute in Elmira last week Monday, after an illness of about four months. He was 46 years old, and his trouble was Bright's disease. His body was cremated at Lancaster last Friday.

August 18, 1885
Local News/Events
--Mr. John Bates, a well-to-do farmer, resides about half a mile above Little Marsh in Chatham Township. He is about eighty years of age. It has been pretty well known that Mr. Bates keeps a considerable sum of money about his house and that it is customary for him to carry amounts ranging from $100 to $300 in his wallet.
Last Tuesday evening just after ten his son-in-law, Mr. Corwin, and a nephew started to go down to the village, and Mr. and Mrs. Bates were thus left home alone on the premises, he being engaged in doing the chores at the barn while she was doing up the supper dishes. The young men had hardly passed out of sight of the house before two men emerged from a thicket at the roadside and approached the house and rapped. Mrs. Bates went to the door, and the elder of the two strangers informed her that he had a message from Sheriff Baxter at Wellsboro. They were invited in.
One of the men pulled from his pocket a letter, which he said was from the Sheriff, and he proceeded to read to Mrs. Bates its contents. It stated that Sheriff had received information that a plan had been laid to rob the house that night and also to steal the oxen. This pretended letter was undoubtedly concocted with a view of inducing Mrs. Bates to go off to the pasture to drive the oxen in, while the men went through the house. But Mrs. Bates didn't take any stock in the letter, and she informed the men that she had no faith in it.
She stepped into the pantry to attend her work, and just at that moment Mr. Bates walked into the house from the woodshed door to face a revolver in the hands of the eldest of the two strangers, and he was commanded to hand over his money. This Mr. Bates refused to do, and he was promptly felled to the floor, a bad gash being cut in the side of his head, by the butt of the pistol it is supposed. Two of his ribs were broken by kicks received as he lay insensible on the floor.
In the meantime Mrs. Bates, hearing the disturbance, attempted to come out of the pantry, but the door was held against her. Being a strong woman, she finally pushed the door open, however, and as she appeared in the room they young man attacked her and threw her down. Seeing her husband struck to the floor, she fought like a tiger and made a dash for the door. Her clothing was nearly torn from her body, but she succeeded in getting away and ran down the road nearly to the village, calling for help.
A number of men promptly responded, and when they reached the house they found Mr. Bates out in the road in front of his house in a half dazed condition, his face covered with blood, frantically screaming, “Burglars!” It was found that his pocket-book, containing $150 in currency, had been taken from his trousers and that the house had been ransacked by the thieves in search of $1,500 to $2,000 which they believed was secreted about the premises. But the robbers were not to be found.
Constable O. L. Beach, from Mrs. Bates' description of the villains, thought he could fix their identity, and he resolved to visit the house of Mr. Foster or “Foucht” Spicer, near Crandall's saw mill, just above that region, having lately moved there Potter county to work in the mill. He has recently served a term in the penitentiary for passing counterfeit coin. He is well known in this part of the county, having formerly resided at Stony Fork.
Constable Beach and his posse reached Spicer's domicile about three o'clock on Wednesday morning. Mrs. Spicer came to the door, and when the man of the house was asked for, the officer was informed that he was not at home. But while Mr. Beach was parlaying with Mrs. Spicer at the door Mr. Spicer was discovered quietly crawling through a back window. Finding a man there ready to receive him, he crawled back again and surrendered. His son Henry was then called for. He was also absent it was said; but Constable Beach found him secreted under his bed.
On Wednesday morning an examination was held before Justice of the Peace A. D. Rice. Mrs. Bates fully identified the two Spicer's as the men who entered her home the night before. They were committed to jail the same afternoon to await the action of the grand jury.
The venerable Mr. Bates had not fully recovered his mental faculties on Wednesday, although he was able to tell something of what took place. He still suffers from his injuries and the shock of the encounter, and it is doubtful if he will be able to appear before the grand jury next week.

--We regret to learn that Mrs. S. O. Daggett, of this borough, is seriously ill with fever.

--Mr. F. M. Leonard, of Westfield, has entered the office of Mitchell & Cameron, in this borough, as a law student.

--Eugene Scofield, a thirteen year old lad, fell out of a cherry tree at Westfield, last Tuesday afternoon, breaking his right leg.

--Prof. O. G. Wigglesworth, of Palmyra, N. Y., has been engaged as teacher of penmanship at the Mansfield Business College.

--Master Samuel Jacobson gave a very enjoyable party last Thursday evening, in this borough, to about fifty of his young friends.

--We regret to learn of the illness of Mr. John W. Bailey, of this borough, who is confined to the house with an attack of typhoid fever.

--Miss Kate W. Baldwin, a graduate of the Mansfield Normal School, has accepted a position as a teacher in the Deaf and Dumb Institute at Philadelphia.

--Miss Anna Hastings' singing class gave a very pleasing entertainment at Willcox Hall in this borough last Tuesday evening. The audience was not so large as the performance deserved.

--the house of Schuyler Shaw, near Sylvania, was struck and considerably damaged by lightning a few days ago. A bolt also killed two cows for Mr. Abram Scouten and struck a tree on another farm.

--The little daughter of Mr. Frank Strang, of Westfield, fell off the river bridge last Tuesday evening. The child struck head foremost upon a saw log, but strange to say, she was not seriously injured.

--Last Thursday afternoon a horse belonging to Mr. Oscar Campbell, of Delmar, while standing in Lyon's blacksmith shop, was kicked in the belly by another horse. The animal died from the injury in a few minutes.

--A few nights since Mr. H. M. Pitts, who keeps the hotel at Sylvania, was aroused by a burglar in his house, and after a severe struggle succeeded in capturing the fellow. The burglar has been jailed at Towanda to wait the action of the grand jury.

--Last Tuesday afternoon the barn of Mr. John West, of Keeneyville, was destroyed by fire, together with about fifteen tons of hay. There was a small insurance on the property. The cause of the fire is unknown, but it is supposed to be the spontaneous combustion of the new hay.

--Mrs. O. S. Babcock, who has been teaching school in the Bowen district in Deerfield, at the close of the term on the 1st instant received from her pupils a present in the shape of a beautiful cake dish. At the same time Mrs. Babcock's little daughter was presented with a fine china cup and saucer.

--John Howard, of Fall Brook, and Mack Sickler, of Towanda, have signed articles of agreement to run a foot race at Canton of Saturday, August 20th. The distance is 500 yards, and the winner is to have the purse--$200 put in by each-and also the net receipts. Both men are said to be fast runners.

--Last Tuesday Messrs. Robert K. Young and Fred C. Leonard, of this borough, and W. S. Hulslander, of Mansfield, passed their examination for admission to the bar of this county. The young gentlemen acquitted themselves with much credit, their standing being unusually high. We wish them abundant prosperity in their profession.

--About forty of the friends and relatives of Mr. H. Clemons met at his residence in Covington last week Monday afternoon to celebrate his fifty-first birthday. Among the number were Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Clemons, of Leetonia. The afternoon was spent in recounting the events of the past and forecasting the future. Mr. D. H. Walker, in a few well chosen words, presented Mr. Clemons with a rocking chair and a pair of gold spectacles as a token of the esteem felt for him by his friends. The affair was a very pleasant surprise to Mr. Clemons.

--Last Thursday afternoon during a thunderstorm the dwelling house of Pliny Whittaker, in Richmond Township, near the Covington line, was struck by lightning. The bolt struck a lightning rod and a portion of the fluid followed the conductor to the ground and thence to the well nearby, where the plank cover was considerably splintered. Another portion left the rod and entered the parlor, where the plastering was knocked from the wall, picture frames shattered and the furniture more or less damaged. The members of the family were all in the house at the time, but they all escaped injury.

--BROOKFIELD-As Mr. Winfield Hubbard and his wife and child were coming home from Brookfield Hollow a few days ago, the tug cam unhitched from the whiffletree and struck the horse on the leg. This started the animal, and it started to run. Mr. Hubbard jerked the frightened horse up short for a moment and his wife sprung from the buggy with the baby in her arms. He jumped out also to catch the horse by the bridle, but before he could do so the horse sprung forward and out of reach, run home and jumped over the gate, leaving the buggy on the outside. It was a lucky runaway, after all, for little damage was done to the buggy and no person was hurt.

--BROOKFIELD-Mr. W. R. Charles, the cheese-maker of the Brookfield factory, is on the sick-list.

--BROOKFIELD-Charles Markham, of Hornellsville, was in town a few days ago to letter a marble slab set at the grave of Sylvester L. Plank, in the Plank burying ground. Mr. Plank has the slab set about eighteen months before he died. [Buried Plank Cemetery, Westfield Township]

--MANSFIELD-Last Friday afternoon an emery-wheel burst in Doane & Co.'s factory. Mr. Eugene Doane had been using the wheel a short time before, and had just started again, when it burst, throwing pieces in all directions and making a report like a gun. Fortunately, Mr. Doane did not stand directly in front of the wheel, and he escaped with no scratches. He was badly scared though.

--Stephen Welch, who has been suffering from the loss of a finger-lost while splitting wood-is improving. Blood poisoning set in, and he had a very severe time of it.

--EAST POINT-Mr. Clarence Hallett, while gumming a saw at Roupp's mill a few days ago, had a very narrow escape from death by the bursting of an emery wheel. Fortunately he was not hit by any of the pieces.

--EAST POINT-Mrs. T. J. Ridge is seriously ill.

Visiting/Moving
--Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Dartt, of Arnot, were in town on Saturday.

--Superintendent Henry J. Landrus, of Arnot, was in town last Thursday.

--Judge Williams and his daughter have been spending a few days in Canada.

--Judge J. C. Strand, of Larned, Kansas, is visiting his old home at Westfield.

--Mr. and Mrs. O. H. Davis, of this borough, visited Millerton friends last week.

--Miss F. A. Dyer has returned to her home at Covington after a protracted visit in New York City.

--Mrs. Silas Purple and her son and daughter, of Columbia, Pa., are visiting at Mr. E. J. Purple's on Charleston Street.

--Alfred A. Shattuck, Esq., of this borough, returned last Thursday from a sojourn at Ocean Grove.

--William A. Stone, United States District Attorney, of Pittsburgh, is visiting in town with his family.

--Mr. W. D. Shaw, of this borough, left yesterday for a week's visit among his friends at Jersey Shore.

--Mr. and Mrs. Anton Hardt and two children, of this village, returned home on Wednesday from a seaside pleasure trip to Ocean Grove and other points.

--BROOKFIELD-Mr. and Mrs. D. W. Nobles are at Wellsville, N. Y., visiting their son George. They have been gone two weeks.

--BROOKFIELD-O. J. Hamblin and Miss Kizer, of Wellsboro, have been visiting relatives in Potter County.

Land/Business/Farming/Housing Transactions
--Mr. Orrin Williams is building a new barn on Queen Street.

--Mr. W. M. Gray is building a fine dwelling house on Grant Street in this borough.

--Mr. A. M. Dunham, of Gaines, is to move to Knoxville and enter the hardware business.

--Mr. Delos Rexford has the contract for hauling eight hundred cords of hemlock bark from the Rexford estate to the Gaines tannery.

--A three year old horse belonging to Mr. J. C. Harrower, of Lawrenceville, died one day last week.

--Messrs. F. M. Hosie & Co., of the Post-office news room in this borough, have sold their business to Mr. S. L. Blair, who took possession last week.

--EAST POINT-Mr. J. A. Kniffen and his brother have purchased a large thresher and separator, which they will have in operation soon.

--EAST POINT-Mr. L. A. Marquardt is to start a blacksmith shop on the old homestead.

Deaths
--A dispatch was received in this borough last Saturday announcing the death of Mr. John K. Fairman, a resident of this place for a time last year. His death was occurred at Chicago, and it was caused by eating toadstools by mistake for mushrooms.

August 25,1885
Local News/Events
--Mr. W. O. Bacon, of Elmira, has been engaged as Principal of the Knoxville graded school for the ensuing year.

--The fancy dress party at the residence of Mr. L. C. Bennet, in this borough, last Thursday evening was largely attended.

--Mr. B. Parks, of Nelson, has been suffering for several days with blindness caused by handling hay in which was poison ivy.

--A few days ago, as Mr. Newton Lincoln, of Nelson, was leading his colt to water the animal suddenly reared up and fell backwards, breaking its neck.

--Mr. Royal A. Wheeler, of this borough, is suffering with a broken wrist, caused by being thrown out of his buggy last Wednesday afternoon on Meade Street.

--Mr. Lucius Truman, of this place, has been re-appointed to his old position of Court Crier. Mr. G. S. Cook, one of the Tipstaffs, has performed the duties of the office for some time past.

--Last Tuesday night the barn of Mr. Samuel Williams, of Jackson Summit, was destroyed by fire, together with a quantity of hay. This is supposed to be another case of spontaneous combustion.

--The horse of Mr. Oscar Campbell, which died at Lyon's blacksmith shop in this borough, was not kicked, as reported. It is said that the animal died of heart disease-a very high toned complaint.

--Mr. Charles Toles, of this borough, returned last Friday from Johnstown, Dakota. We understand that his daughter, Mrs. John R. Barker, intends to come here from Johnstown shortly to keep house for him.

--Rev. Thomas Stacey, of Canton, formerly pastor of the M. E. Church in this borough, has received a call from Tacoma, Washington Territory, at a salary of $1,200 a year and a parsonage. We understand he has declined the position.

--Mr. and Mrs. John Bates, of Chatham, appeared before the grand jury yesterday to testify against Foster and Henry Spicer, charged with the robbery of Mr. Bates a few days ago. Mr. Bates is in a very feeble condition from the injuries which he received, and his mind is still somewhat confused from the blows inflicted upon his head.

--Last Friday afternoon a violent storm visited this region. The rain fell in torrents, and the wind was high. Many limbs were broken from the trees, and some trees were blown down. Corn and buckwheat were considerably damaged by being knocked down. The new dwelling house of Mr. Joseph Hilbolt, in Delmar, which was in course of construction, was blown down, involving a loss of about $500.

--Mr. Chester Robinson, of this borough, passed his eighty-seventh birthday a few days ago. Mr. Robinson came to this borough from New York State in 1835, the year the Court house was built, and began his business career in a harness-shop in company with his brother John L. Robinson; who came here a year earlier. This rather remarkable partnership had been continued for fifty years, from a harness business to a tin-shop, a general store, lumbering and banking. It is remarkable because during their half century of close business relations these brothers have never had a word of misunderstanding and their career had been one of uniform prosperity.

--EBENTON-Mr. Deroy Herrington killed a rattlesnake in his cellar a few days ago, and Mr. Luxenberger killed on the same day in his kitchen. The reptiles are getting entirely too neighborly.

--EBENTON-Mr. Horace Herrington's family all have the measles, and others in the same neighborhood are sick with the same disease.

Visiting/Moving
--Mr. B. S. Bowen, of Deerfield, was in town last Thursday.

--Mrs. E. Blackwell, of Nelson, intends to move to Lawrenceville.

--Master A. F. Shaw, of this place, went to Fulton, N. Y., last week on a visit.

--Miss Kate Ryon, of Tioga, is visiting at Frank A. Deans' on West Avenue.

--Miss Hannah S. Archer, of Maryland, is visiting at H. S. Archer's on West Avenue.

--Mr. R. L. VanHorn, of this borough, is visiting friends at Oxford, Chenango County, N. Y.

--Miss Martha Hayt, of Corning, N. Y., has been visiting at Mr. Fred W. Graves', in this borough.

--Mr. Harry Osgood, of the Associated Press, New York City, is visiting his parents in this borough.

--Mr. and Mrs. Frank M. Hosie, of this borough, are spending a could of weeks at Hornellsville, N. Y.

--Mr. Calvin Baxter has returned to this borough after nearly three months' sojourn on his farm at Nelson.

--Mrs. George Osgood, of Cincinnatus, N. Y., was visiting at Mr. C. G. Osgood's on West Avenue last week.

--Messrs. James C. Tabor, of Elmira, and Newton Bigoney, of New York City, were in town one day last week.

--Mr. E. Jacobson, of this borough, has gone to New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Rhode Island on a business trip.

--Mr. Henry Hutchinson and his family, of this village, are spending a few days at Jamestown, N. Y., Mr. Hutchinson's former home.

--Mrs. George W. Merrick, of this borough, is visiting at Andover, N. Y. She expects to spend some time in Port Allegany, McKean County, before her return.

--EBENTON-Miss Hattie Herrington is visiting friends in Elmira.

--EBENTON-Mrs. E. G. Petrie, nee Mary Harrington, from Iowa, is visiting her parents at this place.

--EBENTON-Mrs. E. Bowen expects to start for her home in Michigan next Wednesday.

Land/Business/Farming/Housing Transactions
--Mr. Eugene Sly is building a new house on his place near Tioga.

--Mr. Thomas Root, of Middlebury, has bought the John Hammond farm.

--Mr. Peter Herdie has made a contract to put in the Addison water works.

--Mr. Max Bernkopf, of this borough, is in New York this week buying goods.

--Mr. Frederick Margraff has nearly completed his new dwelling house on Berwart Street in this borough.

--Mr. Foster Bush, of this borough, has been appointed bookkeeper and telegraph operator at the Elmira Reformatory.

--Mr. Thomas Root has sold his sixteen acre lot; adjoining the Lewis farm in Middlebury, to Mr. Abram Westbrook for $1,600.

--Mr. A. M. Spencer contemplates the introduction of a centrifugal reel or bolt in his Canoe Camp grist-mill, for refining flour.

--Mr. A. L. Westbrook, of Middlebury, recently sold eighteen two year olds and two cows for $500-an average price of $25 a head. He also has a fine crop of tobacco which is now nearly harvested. It will run about two tons an acre and he has 5 or 6 acres.

--Messrs. F. M. Hosie & Co-Fred M. Hosie and Isaac Sears-have leased the store in the Stone & Deane block, No. 102 Main Street, in this borough, and next week they expect to open a fresh stock of groceries and provisions.

--Mr. W. C. Kress is fitting up a machine shop in the brick building on the corner of Pearl and Walnut Streets in this borough. Most of the machinery is already at hand, and it is all new, embodying the latest improvements. A new brick boiler house is being built. The engine and boiler are to be moved from the old foundry building. Mr. Kress expects to be ready for business in two or three weeks, and from an inspection of his machinery we judge the establishment will be second to none in its equipment. Mr. F. S. Gilbert, of Cleveland, Ohio, a practical plumber and steam engineer, is to occupy the main part of the old foundry building on Walnut Street. He is to keep on hand a full stock of gas and water pipes and plumbers' goods, fixtures, etc. With the foundry, which is to remain in the old quarters, the establishment will be complete, so far as we can judge, and we wish for it the most abundant prosperity.

Deaths
--Mrs. Susan Kelts, aged 86 years, was found dead in bed last Wednesday at her home, about a mile west of Knoxville. [Buried Smith Burying Ground, Deerfield Township]

--Last Friday afternoon during the violent thunderstorm Mr. Thomas J. Jelliff, the station agent, and Mr. Barney Whittaker were standing upon the depot platform at Canoe Camp under the telegraph wire. There was a blinding flash, and Mr. Jelliff fell forward dead. The boards of the platform under his feet were considerably splintered. The body was taken to his home across the track. Not a mark of the electric fluid was to be found upon the body, but the neck was somewhat bruised by the fall.
Mr. Whittaker, who was standing within two feet of Mr. Jelliff, was not affected by the shock in the least.
Mr. Jelliff leaves a wife and two daughters. He was a man about forty five years old. He had been station agent seventeen years and was well liked by all who knew him. We understand he held and accident insurance policy for $2,000. [Buried Prospect Cemetery, Mansfield]